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T his blind Cabernet Sauvignon tasting, presented by the Napa Valley Vintners in conjunction with the Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction, provided a snapshot of three vintages—2009, 2010 and 2011—through the wines of 12 producers. The wines were selected for quality and diversity of style by a jury of 34 local winemakers, buyers and educators that included Bryan Avila from Napa Valley College, Dario di Conti of Ca'Momi and Tim Marson MW from Global Wine Co. from more than 100 submissions. Tasting conditions at The Rudd Center at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone were optimal with room to navigate and damage control by an attentive staff. 2009 marked the onset of the La Niña in Northern California, which brought a cool-weather pattern that didn't shift until 2012. During the longest consecutive stretch of cool vintages in recent memory, winemakers were quick to anticipate and respond to rigorous growing conditions, though the decline in yield contrib- uted to short-term concerns about wine supply. Time is clearly on the side of all three vintages; their similarities worked to an advantage by leveling the playing field in a scenario that let the wines stand on their own without being subject to comparison with a significantly warmer vintage. The '09s were showing particularly well having benefited from additional time in bottle and the evolution of complex cool-vintage flavors—fresh to dried herbs—that are apparent across all three vintages. The wines are listed here in the order tasted: 1. Tart red and black cherry with sweet brown spice; resolved, silky medium+ tannins; $160 2. Forward, ripe black fruit, brown spice, vanilla, brown sugar; creamy, extracted mid-palate; $225 3. Cassis, brown spice, coffee and cedar with medium tannins and a complex, spicy finish; $75 4. Dried herbs, red currants, bright and intense with medium+ tannins, leather, brown spice and red fruit finish; $89 5. Bright and lean with medium intensity red and black fruit, dried herbs and focused minerality; $160 6. Spicy, cassis and varietal aromas, bright and mineral with medium tan- nins and star anise notes; $69 7. Bright with red and black berries, lean and persistent mid palate with brown spice and well-integrated oak; $85 8. Vanilla and coffee aromas with ripe, black fruit and fine, medium-weight polished tannins; $145 9. Coffee and black fruit; tight and focused mid-palate with medium intensity, brown spice and soy; $80 10. Smoke, red and black fruit, silky and persistent with earth, dark spice and minerality on a lengthy finish; $80 ❑ ✓ A Snapshot of Three Napa Vintages The Reveal 1. Vineyard 7 & 8 2010 Spring Mountain; 2. Shafer 2009 Stags Leap District Hillside Select; 3. St. Helena Winery 2009St. Helena; 4. Reynolds Family 2009 Stags Leap District; 5. Beringer Vineyards 2011 Napa Valley; 6. Duckhorn 2009 Napa Valley; 7. Frank Family 2010 Reserve Rutherford; 8. Gallica 2010 Napa Valley; 9. Malk Family 2010 Stags Leap District; 10. Malk Family 2011 Stags Leap District PREMIERE NAPA VALLEY'S 2014 MULTI-VINTAGE PERSPECTIVE TASTING The Soyombo flaming mojito For more information please contact: info@mongolianvodkas.com SOYOMBO VODKA IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK © 2013 Please enjoy Soyombo responsibly 'The flame has three branches that stand for the past, present and future that will flourish three times'. www.mongolianvodkas.com/soyombo For a video method for the above recipe and for more SOYOMBO recipes please visit our website. Discover MONGOLIAN VODKA © 2013 APU Joint Stock Company, Soyombo Vodka 40% Alcohol by Volume, Imported by APU (Manhasset, NY) TP0414_034-71.indd 55 3/21/14 2:41 PM